1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a reflex reflector and particularly to a reflex reflector mounted on spokes of a wheel of a bicycle or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
If a bicycle crossing in front of an automobile has a reflex reflector mounted thereon, the reflector receives light from the headlights and glaringly reflects it. Thus, the driver can readily and positively ascertain the presence of the bicycle, a fact which is desirable from the standpoint of safety. Particularly, a reflex reflector mounted on spokes of a wheel has superior visibility since it is rotated along with the wheel.
Various types of reflex reflectors adapted to be mounted on spokes have heretofore been provided, but in most cases, such accessory parts as bolts and nuts are used when they are mounted on spokes. FIG. 9 shows one such conventional reflex reflector. The illustrated reflex reflector 1 is formed over substantially all surface except the middle portion 2 with a reflective surface. At the middle portion 2 not formed with a reflective surface, a screw 3 is disposed on the front side and a screw receiving portion (not shown) is disposed on the rear side. The reflex reflector 1 is mounted on a spoke 5 extending from a rim 5 to a hub (not shown) by utilizing said screw 3 and screw receiving portion.
Such reflex reflector 1 has the following drawbacks.
First, besides the reflector body, such accessory parts as the screw 3 and screw receiving portion are required, increasing the number of parts, a fact which is not desirable from the standpoint of parts control and cost. Further, the mounting operation using bolts and nuts is troublesome and takes time. Further, to install the bolt 3, in the example shown in FIG. 9, it is necessary to provide a region at the middle portion 2 where no reflective surface is formed. As a result, the reflective performance is lower than in a reflex reflector which is formed with a reflective surface throughout its surface.
As found in Japanese Laying-Open Gazette No. 124473/1984 (Japanese Patent Application No. 230122/1982), intended to eliminate said drawbacks, there has been proposed an arrangement wherein both sides of a reflector are formed with wing portions of synthetic resin adapted to grip spokes. FIG. 10 shows such reflex reflector. The illustrated reflex reflector 6 has wing portions 7 and 8 on its opposite sides. The wing portions 7 and 8 are designed to grip spokes from the front and back sides, i.e., from the paper front and back sides, to thereby mount the reflex reflector 6 on the spokes 5. In mounting, first, the reflex reflector 6 is placed above the position where it is to be mounted between the two spokes 5. Subsequently, as shown in dash-dot and dash-two-dot lines 9 and 10, the reflex reflector 6, while being vertically jolted at its opposite sides, is lowered until it reaches the position where the wing portions 7 and 8 grip the spokes 5.
Therefore, with the reflex reflector 6 shown in FIG. 10, a relatively large spacing Za must be provided between the reflex reflector 6 and the rim 4 for enabling and facilitating the operation of mounting on the spokes. Further, a loss spacing Zb proportional to the amplitude of the reflector involved in the mounting operation must be provided between the reflex reflector and the spoke.
Originally, from the standpoint of visibility, it is preferable that the attaching position of the reflector mounted on spokes be as near to the rim as possible. This is endorsed by the fact that some countries have standards stipulating that the attaching position of the reflector is to be closely adjacent to the rim. Further, to promote visibility or reflective performance, it is desired that the horizontal length of the reflective surface of the reflector be as great as possible. Therefore, in the reflex reflector of the type shown in FIG. 10, it is desirable to make the horizontal length of the reflective surface as close to the spacing of the two spokes as possible. In other words, ideally, it is desired that the dimensions Za and Zb shown in FIG. 10 be as small as possible. However, in the conventional reflex reflector 6 shown in FIG. 10, as described above, the dimensions Za and Zb are necessarily larger.
Further, the diameter of the spokes of bicycles varies according to the type of bicycle. Usually, the conventional reflex reflector 6 shown in FIG. 10 is produced on the basis of the spokes of predetermined diameter. Thus, an attempt to forcibly mount the reflex reflector 6 on spokes having a greater diameter than the predetermined value would result in damage to the wing portions 7 and 8. To avoid this, it is necessary to prepare individual reflectors for various spoke diameters, which is very disadvantageous from the standpoint of cost.